Esther 8:11

In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,

World English Bible

Learn

Your notes

Private to you. Anything you write on this verse, here or while reading, shows up here and in My study.

Other translations

WEBBE

In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to defend their lives—to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,

BSB

By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions.

KJV

Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

ASV

wherein the king granted the Jews that were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, [their] little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

BBE

In these letters the king gave authority to the Jews in every town to come together and make a fight for their lives, and to send death and destruction on the power of any people in any part of the kingdom attacking them or their children or their women, and to take their goods from them by force,

Original Hebrew

Look up a word

Tap a word to see what it means and everywhere else it's used.

אֲשֶׁר 'a·sher that H834 נָתַן na·tan he had permitted H5414 הַמֶּלֶךְ ha·me·lekh the king H4428 לַיְּהוּדִים lai·ye·hu·dim to the Jews H3064 אֲשֶׁר 'a·sher who H834 בְּכָל־ be·khol [were] in every H3605 עִיר־ 'ir- city H5892 וָעִיר va·'ir and city H5892 לְהִקָּהֵל le·hi·ka·hel to assemble H6950 וְלַעֲמֹד ve·la·'a·mod and to make a stand H5975 עַל־ 'al- on H5921 נַפְשָׁם naf·sham life their H5315 לְהַשְׁמִיד le·hash·mid to annihilate H8045 וְלַהֲרֹג ve·la·ha·rog and to kill H2026 וּלְאַבֵּד u·le·'a·bed and to destroy H6 אֶת־ 'et- (marks the object) H853 כָּל־ kol- every H3605 חֵיל cheil army of H2428 עַם 'am people H5971 וּמְדִינָה u·me·di·nah and province H4082 הַצָּרִים ha·tza·rim which attacks H6696 אֹתָם 'o·tam (marks the object) them H853 טַף taf little one[s] H2945 וְנָשִׁים ve·na·shim and women H802 וּשְׁלָלָם u·she·la·lam and spoil their H7998 לָבוֹז la·voz to take as plunder H962

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 3–14

It was time to be earnest, when the church of God was at stake. Esther, though safe herself, fell down and begged for the deliverance of her people. We read of no tears when she begged for her own life, but although she was sure of that, she wept for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like. According to the constitution of the Persian government, no law or decree could be repealed or recalled. This is so far from speaking to the wisdom and honour of the Medes and Persians, that it clearly shows their pride and folly. This savours of that old presumption which ruined all, We will be as gods! It is God's prerogative not to repent, or to say what can never be altered or unsaid. Yet a way was found, by another decree, to authorize the Jews to stand upon their defence. The decree was published in the languages of all the provinces. Shall all the subjects of an earthly prince have his decrees in languages they understand, and shall God's oracles and laws be locked up from any of his servants in an unknown tongue?

Read Matthew Henry on Esther 8 →

Cross-references

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.